Inaugural Peace Ball

Just a quick heads up that I’ll be covering the Inaugural Peace Ball live tonight from Arena Stage at The Mead Center For American Theater here in DC.

The event, which celebrates recent campaigns for peace while also reflecting and refocusing on the many efforts still to be done, will include guests Ralph Nader (you know any party with Nader involved could get a little wild…), Amy Goodman, and Alice Walker, along with musical guests Moby and a surprise hip hop artist (I’m not supposed to say, apparently???), plus a lot more.

I’ll write more on the event here and at WeLoveDC.com, but until then you can follow the event on Twitter @jocastlemiller and at #peaceball.

Sorry for the delayed response. I don’t know that I have one particular area of interest. I’m trying to identify the ethical implications of the daily choices I make (with an interest in finding choices that might be inconsistent with my own developing ethic, where I ought to choose differently). This also includes fostering greater awareness of issues both local and global and trying to envision how I can best help as well as what it would look like for a community (in this case, mine) to be truly engaged with the pressing issues of our day.

So basically I’m trying to learn from others at this point. Hunger, slavery, reconciliation, peace, environment–for all of these, my question is ‘what can I do?’

That all sounds great! You’re talking about a movement right now toward “conscious consumerism,” which takes into account the impact of our spending on society, politics, and the environment both locally and globally. It’s a very hard thing to do because the systems are so complex – if we decide only to eat Fair Trade chocolate, for example, doesn’t that hurt other farmers who are struggling and don’t use slave labor? But even with the complexities, I believe (as many others do) that it’s worth it to be aware. It helps me better understand my role in the world and my impact on other people.

I would start locally, if I were you, and possibly focus on a few things you buy on a regular basis. I started with chocolate almost by accident, but my interest has expanded into a lot of areas. You can do research online to find out who makes the products, how they make them, and with what materials. You can also encourage and shop through local vendors who know more about their supplies and how their work impacts the community.

You may also want to get involved with a group focused on human rights issues. Here in DC we have a ton, and I started with DC Stop Modern Slavery and later became loosely involved with some other groups. Other cities have other offerings. Meetup.com is a great place to find like-minded groups. That’s where you’ll meet people who care about their choices, and even hear from experts about how our choices impact the globe.